How Many Stars in the Sky
by sunshinexriptide
Summary: Alfea is a school for talented fairies. Years after Bloom and her friends graduate, there is a new generation of fairies ready to learn about magic! Join Rapunzel as the young fairy begins her journey! When will she get to meet the specialists at Red Fountain? Who will her roommate be? And who is the new and powerful witch at Cloud Tower? This is a RotBTFD Winx AU. Rated T for now
1. Chapter 1: Next Stop, Alfea!

**Chapter 1**

**Next Stop, Alfea!**

Rapunzel's stomach was full of butterflies this morning. She could barely finish her breakfast! Today was a special day. She was reminded of how she felt when she opened her acceptance letter to Alfea, school of magic! That excitement was nothing compared to what she felt now, on the very morning of move-in day. What would college life be like? Would she get along with her roommate? Would they start learning spells right away? Did she have enough notebooks for her classes? What kind of food would they serve at the cafeteria? Her head swam with all the stories she had heard during her time in high school. She had read online about Bloom, and Flora and Stella, Tecna, Musa, Layla! All incredible fairies that had done amazing feats during their years at Alfea. Rapunzel wanted to be just like them, fighting monsters and saving the world. Her imaginary revelry was interrupted by the soft voice of her mother.

"You're not going to finish, my little sunburst?"

She looked down at the toast she had been pushing around on her plate, then back up to her mom. She had the most stunningly beautiful green eyes, her thin face framed by golden-brown hair that was always falling out of its loose bun. Rapunzel could see the pride in her mother's smile. Ever since she was little, her parents had always told her that she could be anything she wanted to be. Well, what she wanted most was to make her parents happy and proud, with a side of adventure, and here she was doing just that!

"I'm too excited to eat!" she proclaimed. She was practically buzzing with anticipation.

"Then let's get going!" her father's voice boomed as he walked into the room, leaning down to give her a peck on the cheek before whisking the dirty dishes away with the flick of his wrist. "Did you pack everything? Don't forget we can swing by a store after you get settled in to stock up your pantry, and-"

"I got everything, dad," she said, playfully rolling her eyes.

The tall man smiled with a shrug of his broad shoulders. "Just checking," he said to no one in particular.

Pascal popped his head out from his hiding spot in Rapunzel's hair, letting out a yawn before taking his usual perch on the blonde fairy's left shoulder. He butted his head lightly on her cheek and gave her a look that said _let's get this adventure started_! She smiled, her excited energy burning off as a soft light from her skin. "I couldn't agree more," she whispered to her green companion.

~.~.~.

Merida was overcome with nerves as she took in the gigantic building in front of her. It seemed to go on forever in either direction. She felt like a crushing weight had been set upon her, a weight of responsibility that threatened to squeeze the very life out of her. She turned back and waved goodbye to her parents, watching as her three little brothers looked up at her in awe. She should be feeling proud, but instead all she felt was fear. So many things could go wrong! She could forget about a class and fail, she could accidentally turn someone into a frog, she could bump into the wrong person or look at someone the wrong way and get a one-way ticket to the land of embarrassment.

She looked down at the paper in her hand and re-read the name of her roommate. Rapunzel? Well, it was a strange name, but she had heard stranger. She shrugged her backpack closer to her and began the search for her dorm building.

The feeling of dread and doom lifted a little more the further she walked around campus. There were so many different kinds of fairies! She saw girls with blue and purple skin and long flowing green hair, the merest hint of gills on their necks and scales on their shoulders. She saw petite fairies that couldn't have been taller than four feet, with hair so red it rivaled even her own! She also saw fairies so tall she wondered why they even needed wings, towering over her with their strong, broad shoulders and powerful arms and thighs. She passed by one girl who seemed fairly ordinary, only to be taken aback when the girl turned to her and Merida saw that her eyes had no pupils, just deep pools of light that seemed to be every color and no color all at once. She was a little spooked, but mesmerized all the same. All the new sights and sounds were doing a wonderful job at distracting her from her nerves.

She looked up at the building in front of her. "Evergreen Glades", she read aloud, her Scottish brogue thick, "looks like this is it." She sighed as she double checked the floor number. She saw some other fairies show their wings, long glittery things that trailed behind them as they flitted up to their dorm rooms, entering through the floor-to-ceiling windows. As much as she dreaded 26 flights of stairs, she didn't want to risk getting in trouble by using magic on her first day. With any luck, her roommate would be some bookworm who just wanted to go to class and get good grades. Merida would be able to buckle down, lie low, and get through these next few years with little incident.

~.~.~.

Rapunzel barely heard the tentative knock on the door. She opened it ever so slightly and was met face to face with a timid looking girl, with bright blue eyes and a mess of red curls heaped upon her head. She gave a shy smile.

"Hi!" Rapunzel smiled cheerily, "you must be Merida!"

Merida nodded and took in the other fairy's appearance. Standing a little taller than herself, Rapunzel had an elegant look about her. She wore a cropped buttoned shirt, dark purple with light purple pinstripes that made Merida think of an office assistant. A dark purple cropped vest and matching capris completed the look. The fairy shook her blonde hair loose of its bun and Merida marveled at how it fell long down her back like golden waves. In fact, it was so long it trailed behind her for a foot or two on the floor as she walked. Rapunzel gave her a curious look and she blushed, realizing that she was staring.

"Sorry," she mumbled. "It's nice to meet you," she said politely, "you must be Rapunzel."

The blonde beamed, and it was like another light popped on in the room. "Which side do you want?" she asked, and Merida noticed the cardboard box of decoration at the girl's feet. She looked so excited, Merida felt a little guilty about dragging her feet and taking so long to get here. It was nice that she was letting her pick, though, because she knew which side she wanted right away- on the left, by the massive windows that she had seen the fairies entering and exiting earlier. She began setting up and peeked over at her new roommate, making the most of her tall bed by turning the lower area into a nicely lit alcove.

Merida felt terribly awkward, tugging at the hem of her dress. She wanted to strike up some sort of conversation, but the other fairy seemed pretty intent on her decorating, and she seemed to be talking to herself. Merida sighed. Well, her roommate couldn't get them into trouble if she kept to herself so much.

Rapunzel turned then, and Merida caught a glimpse of the green animal on her shoulder, hopping from one foot to another and pointing animatedly at the paintings she was hanging on the wall.

"Is that a chameleon?!" Merida said, unable to control her outburst. Rapunzel's smile widened and her face lit up.

"Yes!" she squealed, "his name is Pascal! Isn't he the cutest thing? He likes to bake cookies with me and play hide and seek!"

Merida always had a soft spot in her heart for animals. She thought longingly of her horse, Angus, back home. He was a little too big to bring to school with her, but she lost herself cooing and fawning over Pascal, and he seemed appreciative of the attention. Without warning, he jumped on top of her head and turned bright red to match her mane. She caught her reflection in the mirror and starting laughing until she let out a snort, eliciting more giggling from Rapunzel. Finally, Merida felt like she could relax a little. She took in the dorm room a little more and noticed that there was a small kitchenette in the corner, an alcove along the wall down from her bed, and the ceiling seemed a little higher than she was expecting. In all it was a really nice place, and her roommate seemed alright.

Rapunzel followed her gaze to the kitchenette and a mischievous grin swept across her face.

"Have you ever made gooseberry cupcakes before?"

~.~.~.

The dorms were filled with the sounds of laughter. New friendships being made alongside old friends reuniting for the first time since the beginning of summer break. On the 26th floor of Evergreen Glades in room 19, Rapunzel and Merida were making cupcakes for dinner and talking about everything from their favorite movie to which class they were most excited about.

Merida stuck her hand out and held her palm upwards, a small orange flame bursting to life between her fingers. Rapunzel's eyes went wide with shock. She had seen fire magic used before, but never this close. Merida had been regaling her with tales of her home, getting into trouble with her brothers and taking care of Angus.

"Doesn't it hurt?" she asked, worried for her new friend's safety.

"Nah, jus tickles a bit." Merida's brogue really shone through after she got comfortable with Rapunzel.

The blonde mimicked Merida's hand movement and a shining ball of light appeared. Merida extinguished her flame and shielded her eyes from the brightness.

"Ah guess we're not too different then," she giggled.

"Just wait- watch this!" Rapunzel exclaimed. She closed her eyes and let her loose hair fan around her, and then she began to sing. It was the most beautiful thing Merida had ever heard! It sounded like fresh crisp apples, blue skies, and the wind rushing past her when she rode her horse back home. It sounded like summertime, sweet strawberry jam, and the feeling you get when you laugh too hard and your sides burn, small happy tears rolling down your cramping cheeks. Merida opened her eyes to see that Rapunzel's hair glowed as she sang. The light faded as she stopped, looking at Merida expectantly.

"Ah, that…Ah mean, that was," she began, unable to put the feeling to words.

Rapunzel only smiled knowingly. "My mom is a fairy of light," she explained, "and my dad comes from a family of musical fairies. So I guess I'm a little of both then," she shrugged.

Merida took another bite of her gooseberry cupcake, marveling at how it melted in her mouth. "These are amazin'," she said between mouthfuls, "who taught ye how ta cook?"

"My mother isn't much of a cook, and neither is my dad," she said, "my grandmother taught me the basics and I raided the library for cookbooks the moment I got the chance."

"Ah'd like to meet her," the redhead replied, thinking of all the recipe books her mother had at home.

"She passed away a few years ago," Rapunzel admitted. She was sad because she missed her grandmother so much, but she didn't let it get her down. She didn't get to see her often anyway, they mainly saw each other during the holiday seasons. When she thought back she realized that Merida and her grandmother would have really gotten along well. They both had fierce personalities and a knack for adventure.

Rapunzel cut through the awkward silence that hung in the air around them. "Can I tell you something?"

Merida nodded in response.

"I'm really, um…I'm really scared," she continued. "I know this is weird since we've only just met but when I told my parents goodbye today it just felt so…"

"Real?" Merida asked, completing the sentiment.

"Yeah!" Rapunzel exclaimed. "Like, this is it, this is really happening!"

Merida nodded. "Ah felt the same way," she assured her new friend. "Even more so that, well…"

"Go on," Rapunzel encouraged.

"Ah guess yoo may not understand it, but, well, Ah have ta set an example. Fer my brothers," she added, "they are so young but all this pressure falls on me ta be tha perfect older sister, ta graduate an' get a job an' make a livin', an' it jus' feels like if Ah fail then they're doomed ta follow in mah footsteps," she said hurriedly.

Rapunzel took a moment to take it all in, chewing her cupcake thoughtfully. "That's a lot of pressure," she conceded. "I'm sorry you have to go on feeling like that, but I think you might be putting a lot of this pressure on yourself," she added.

Merida thought about that for a moment. "Ah know," she finally said, "Ah know logically tha' my brothers are who they are, an' I can set a good example but Ah'm not responsible fer their actions. It just feels that way sometimes."

Rapunzel put a hand on her shoulder. "Well, we're in this together," she said brightly, a smile lighting up her face once more. "We have mostly all the same classes, we can study together and hang out together!"

Merida gave her a puzzled look. "Yoo want ta hang out with me?" she asked. It wasn't a tactic to fish for a compliment or put herself down- she was genuinely confused as to why a virtual stranger would want to waste her time with someone she barely knew. Especially since they'd be rooming together all year. They'd be seeing enough of each other as it was.

"That's what friends are for!" the finality in Rapunzel's tone left no room for arguments. Merida drifted off to sleep that night with a smile on her face, and a warm thought in her mind. Day one and she had already made a friend. Perhaps college life wouldn't be so bad after all.

Rapunzel's thoughts mirrored her new friend, but it didn't stop her from having some strange, dark, fear-filled dreams that night.


	2. Chapter 2: A Friend, Like Me?

Chapter 2

A Friend… Like Me?

Hiccup thumbed through the book on his desk, absentmindedly petting the black cat curled up in his lap. His roommate was supposed to show up yesterday, settle in, and attend the opening ceremonies later on tonight. He was a little disappointed to have spent the night alone, and wondered if he'd be alone all semester. The cat pirruped, sensing his thoughts.

"Well, not _completely_ alone," he smiled at the curious creature. The cat looked up and seemed to smile, his snaggletooth sticking out of one side of his mouth. His green eyes became overcome with black as his pupils dilated, his ears, then his head, turning toward the door. A moment later Hiccup heard a soft rapping.

"It's open!" he shouted, and the door creaked softly.

"Hey, you're Hiccup, right?"

The voice belonged to Flynn Rider, RA for their floor. He was a junior this year, and his natural leadership abilities led him to the role of caregiver for the new group of specialists starting their careers at Red Fountain. He was brave and valiant, sure, but he had a soft spot for the newbies. Though if anyone asked, he was doing it strictly for the free room and board.

"I got your message and reached out to your roommate, he just had a bit of trouble getting to the school but has assured me he'll be here in a couple of hours." Hiccup glanced over at the man standing in the doorway, a triumphant smile on his face.

"Awesome, thanks!" Things were starting to look up. Hiccup came from a small land, where everyone sort of felt like family. It was a strange feeling to be alone, and he did not enjoy it. He looked around at the room and smiled, knowing that soon it would be full of laughter, unpacking, and the joyous sound of meeting someone new!

~.~.~.

Rapunzel dragged Merida by the hand through the club fair. Billowing white tents and booths littered Alfea's grounds, and the blonde fairy was determined to look at every single one. Merida wanted to protest, but the next booth caught her eye and she grabbed a pamphlet and two applications before Rapunzel could say anything.

"Ah think et would be fun!" she smiled, handing her new friend the brochure.

"Alfea Archery Club," Rapunzel read aloud, "hmm…it does sound interesting…"

Merida did her best "puppy dog eyes" expression and Rapunzel caved. "Alright, alright, I'll sign up with you!" She grabbed a pen from the booth and began filling out the application. "But that means you gotta join a club with me," she said.

"Aye, and which one were ya thinking about?"

Rapunzel looked around the club fair once more, weighing her options. There were a couple of choral groups, but their practice time clashed with the archery club, and she didn't want to drag Merida to choir practice if she wasn't comfortable singing in front of a bunch of people. There was a star gazer group, the Star Gazelles, that was primarily filled with astrology/astronomy majors but open to anyone who loved to observe the stars, collect stardust, and even create a few stars themselves. She grabbed a pamphlet as they walked by and tucked it away in her bag. The very last booth came into view and she knew it was the one!

"Art Club?" Merida asked, "Won't that be a wee bit expensive?"

"Why, the supplies are given to you free of charge!" the fairy manning the booth answered. Her skin was green and her hair was a brilliant array of colorful plumage running down her back. She smiled and handed the girls each a pen in the shape of a paintbrush. "Our funding comes from a wealthy anonymous contributor who believes strongly that every fairy should be able to express themselves and explore themselves through art!"

Rapunzel was practically glowing, so Merida started filling out the app. "Sounds like fun!" she said, and they were each handed a burlap sack with some starter supplies. The girls hurried back to their dorm, excited to start planning for the semester!

~.~.~.

Jack gave a nervous sigh. He shifted his backpack uncomfortably across his shoulders. _Can't chicken out now,_ he thought to himself, and he picked up his suitcase and walked across campus to the freshman dorms.

"Hey bud, you must be Jack!"

Jack almost walked past the man, but stopped just in time. "Uh, yeah, that's me," he said.

"I'm Flynn, I'll be your RA this year. Your roommate is just upstairs, he's excited to meet you! Need any help with your bags?"

Jack felt the tension ease out of his body a bit. Flynn was warm and welcoming, and he must have been able to read Jack's unease from a mile away. He shrugged his backpack off his shoulders wordlessly and Flynn took it off of his hands.

"Thanks," Jack said with a smile.

"So, you excited to start school?" Flynn asked, trying to strike up some conversation.

"I'm a little worried about adjusting to college life," Jack admitted. "The classwork isn't too scary, but I haven't shared a room with someone since- well, in a while," he said.

Flynn could sense it was a sore subject. "Not to worry," he reassured the young specialist, "I've met your roommate and he seems really easy to get along with. In any case, if you need anything, my number is listed on the back of your door. Just give me a shout any time of day! If I don't respond right away I'm either in class or in the shower," he said with a chuckle.

Jack smiled a bit more, allowing himself to feel welcome and pushing away all the anxious thoughts and "what ifs" from his mind. After all, he had a roommate to meet!

~.~.~.

The black cat walked across the balcony railing, tail high in the air, eyes scanning the people below. His tail lowered and swished back and forth, suddenly distracted by some sort of flying bug that hopped along the wall beside him. Hiccup glanced over just in time to see him hunker down, a sight he was all too familiar with.

"TOOTHLESS!" he shouted, rushing over to grab the senseless animal before his curiosity drove him into the street. Toothless gave out a surprised mewl and reached his front paws out, trying and failing to swat the mysterious intruder. "No sir! We do NOT leap from two story windows!"

Toothless let out an exasperated sigh and wiggled out of Hiccup's arms and onto the floor, sulking off to the other side of the room. He eyed Hiccup warily for a moment before turning around and ignoring him completely, focusing instead on grooming his fur. Hiccup rolled his eyes- that cat could be so dramatic sometimes!

Two swift and loud knocks sounded from the door, and Hiccup opened it with a hopeful grin.

"Heya kiddo, guess who just arrived!"

A tall, lanky, white-haired boy peeked out from behind Flynn's shoulder. Hiccup gave him what he hoped was a warm smile and shook his hand.

"Hey, nice to meet you! I'm Hiccup."

"Jack," the other boy said, and Hiccup sensed a bit of nervousness in his tone.

"Can I, uh, help you with your bags?"

Flynn set Jack's backpack on the bed opposite Hiccup's. "We got it buddy, why don't you show Jack around campus a bit? Don't forget to swing by the arena tonight!"

Jack gave his new roommate a quizzical look as Flynn left the room. Hiccup pointed to the flier taped to the front of their door. "Opening ceremonies," he explained, "every year the different groups and clubs get together and put on a show displaying the 'mighty specialists of Red Fountain'," he quoted from the flier.

"Huh, sounds a little showy… but fun," Jack said. He looked around the spacious dorm room, taking it all in.

"So what brings you to Red Fountain?" Hiccup asked, trying to get to know Jack a little more.

"I've always wanted to come here, ever since I was a kid. It's a great academy, lots of opportunity for adventure. One day I'm going to travel from one end of the universe to the other, and visit every kind of planet there is," he explained with a sheepish grin.

"That's awesome! I've always wanted to study flight design," Hiccup replied, "I want to build a starship of my own- fast, sleek, and powerful." Jack noticed the engineering books that littered his roommate's desk, and the design sheets for different parts pinned into the wall above.

"You're pretty serious, huh?"

"Serious is my middle name."

"I thought the assignment sheet said 'Horrendous'?" Jack shot an eyebrow up.

Hiccup brought his hand to his face. "That is a, uh. Family name."

"Uh huh," Jack replied with a playful grin. Before he could say anything else a black cat hopped up onto Jack's unmade bed, sniffing at his backpack.

"Hey!" Hiccup tried to scoop Toothless up again, but this time the cat was ready and he shimmied out of his reach and hopped onto Jack's shoulders. Jack looked to his left to be met with the intense green gaze of the snaggletoothed cat.

"And who might this be?" he asked.

"That's my cat Toothless, don't let him bother you." Hiccup replied. "Come on boy, down. It's not nice to jump on strangers."

Toothless ignored him in favor of the chin scratches his newfound companion was giving him, purring loudly. If Hiccup didn't know any better, he'd think that the little shit was trying to drown out his voice.

"He's not a bother," Jack laughed. "I have a few kitties myself back home. It's nice to see a familiar face."

The boys talked on about the classes they were taking as Jack got his side of the room set up. Hiccup talked about the engineer and design clubs he was in during high school, and the different machines he had invented to help out his family back home. Jack told Hiccup about the time he had snuck into the library and "borrowed" some of the restricted star maps, earning him a watchful eye all throughout school.

"I was going to give them back, just after making a few copies…" he grinned.

"How were you even going to visit those planets?" Hiccup asked, incredulous but impressed. "After all, certain planets are restricted for a reason you know."

"Well, there was a ship or two I had in mind…"

"To 'borrow', you mean?"

"Hey, borrowing means returning! Besides, I never got the chance, by the time I finally had the coordinates I was out of school and busy trying to get in here."

"Wait, so you actually have the maps with you?" Hiccups eyes were wide, his tone hushed.

Jack just smiled and opened up a pocket of his backpack, revealing a handful of data drives. His new roommate raised his eyebrows, impressed.

"So, uh, let me know when you make that starship," he said jokingly. Hiccup shook his head, taking a look at Jack's neat but under-decorated side of the room.

"You pack light, huh?" He asked, changing the subject.

"Gotta carry it all myself," Jack shrugged.

"Your parents didn't want to help you move in?"

"My parents didn't really approve of my school choice," he shrugged again. He was trying to pass it off as nonchalantly as possible, but Hiccup could tell it bothered him.

"Why? Red Fountain is one of the best schools out there!"

Jack took a look at the clock. "We should start heading down, there ceremony will be starting soon. I can't wait to see these dorks make fools of themselves. Just to get more dorks to sign up for their clubs…" Hiccup nodded and grabbed his jacket, following his new friend down to the arena.

~.~.~.

Hiccup waited till they got back to the dorm later that night to slap down a couple of applications on Jack's bed.

"Welcome to the club, dork."


End file.
